Are You Prepared to Fight for Workers Comp in the Bakken Oil Field?

By
Odegaard Miller Law, PLLC
|September 03, 2015

The
recent train derailment highlights the need to be prepared to fight for workers comp when you
work in the Bakken oil field. Luckily, nobody was injured in the July
derailment, but the
StarTribune reports, "The spill marked the latest in a series of wrecks across the U.S.
and Canada that have highlighted the safety risks of moving crude by rail."

Not only is transporting oil via rail lines potentially dangerous and consistently
hazardous to the environment, but working in any part of the oil industry
increases your chances for an on-the-job injury, including exposure to
dangerous chemicals.

Contrary to popular belief, accessing
workers comp after an injury isn't guaranteed. People working in dangerous occupations,
including working in the Bakken oil field, are compensated with higher
wages compared to similar work in less hazardous conditions. Levels of
workers comp required by these companies are also higher. But what most
people don't realize is that workers comp is a form of insurance and
the insurers are very careful (i.e. stingy) regarding the claims they
are willing to payout without contest.

All workers should have a general understanding of workers' compensation
laws. They should know their rights and they should know how to go about
fighting for those rights. After all, the laws are written in such a way
that people can access the state's workers' compensation system
without the advantage of hiring a lawyer. For simple matters, workers
should beable to handle their workers comp claims on their own.

Unfortunately, very little of what goes on in the Bakken oil field region
is simple. Workers comp claims are no exception. To increase their profits,
workers comp insurers are more likely to fight claims with higher payouts.
State law does less to protect workers from these situations, in part
because the higher pay oil workers receive means (in theory) that these
workers can afford legal counsel.

If you are concerned about the possibility of being injured in the Bakken
oil field or if you have already been injured and want to make your claim
as solid as possible,
contact us at Odegaard Miller Law to find out how we can help you protect your interests
and expedite your workers comp claim.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.